Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq equalled Viv Richards' record for the fastest century in Test cricket as his side set Australia an unlikely 603 to win the second Test in Abu Dhabi.

Misbah and Azhar Ali each recorded their second century of the match - following Australian brothers Ian and Greg Chappell, against New Zealand in 1974, as the only pairs of batsmen from the same team to have achieved the feat - in a second innings of 293 for three declared.

Misbah's 11th four, to go with five sixes, saw the 40-year-old reach three figures in 56 balls and emulate Richards' effort against England in the 1986 Antigua Test.

Dropping a bombshell, Sachin Tendulkar has disclosed that the then India coach Greg Chappell had made a "shocking" suggestion to him to take over India's captaincy from Rahul Dravid months before the 2007 World Cup in West Indies. "Together, we could control Indian cricket for years", the Australian told Tendulkar during a visit to his home when he offered to "help me in taking over the reins of the side" from Dravid, the master batsman writes in his autobiography "Playing it My Way" due for release on Thursday. Tendulkar is scathing in his criticism of Chappell who was the national coach from 2005 to 2007, describing him as a "ringmaster who imposed his ideas on the players without showing any signs of being concerned about whether they felt comfortable or not". Elaborating on the coach's bid to replace Dravid, Tendulkar writes, "Just months before the World Cup, Chappell had come to see me at home and, to my dismay, suggested that I should take over the captaincy from Rahul Dravid. "Anjali (Tendulkar's wife), who was sitting with me was equally shocked to hear him say that 'together, we could control Indian cricket for years', and that he would help me in taking over the reins of the side. "I was surprised to hear the coach not showing the slightest amount of respect for the captain, with cricket's biggest tournament just months away", Tendulkar writes. He says that he had rejected Chappell's proposition outright. "He stayed for a couple of hours, trying to convince me before finally leaving".

Saturday, November 01, 2014

Hyderabad: Having ended a successful year with victory in the WTA Tour Finals, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has set her sights on becoming the doubles world number one next season.

"That's pretty amazing. People expect that much of me and wish so much for me. Like I said, I am getting closer to my goal which is to try and be number one in the world. I got a Slam this year, won the Championships. That's one of my goals.

So, I will try and be number one. Hopefully, that will happen next year," she told

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Yuvraj Singh says the thought of not being able to play for India again has crossed his mind and added that it will be very depressing if he fails to make a comeback into the Indian cricket team.

After successfully fighting the dreaded disease of cancer, Yuvraj made a brief return to the Indian team when he played Twenty20 matches, but he has been a pale shadow of himself on his comeback trail.

He last played for India in a One-day match in December 2013.

"Definitely, a comeback to the Indian team is a goal....It's always disappointing when you don't make it to the side. But, that said, the last two years have been patchy, up and down. So it's not my call whether I should be picked.

Hopefully things will change, and I will be picked again, otherwise life will be very depressing. I can only try and do my best," the left-handed batsman told 'Wisden India'.

Asked if the thought of not being picked for India again ever crossed his mind, Yuvraj responded in positive.

"Of course, there is a possibility that I may never play for India again. I have considered that. But there is also the possibility that I might play for India again, and as long as I believe that I can come back and I have it in me, I'm going to keep pushing myself," he said.

Star of India's many a victories, Yuvraj said he along with other sidelined and struggling players such as Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir often talk about the good days.

"We always talk about the time we spent playing for India. We all know that those were the most amazing years of our lives. But, life still goes on, even when you?re not in the team. You just have to be positive and keep working hard."

Yuvraj did not do much to stake claim in the national team but he has still not given up.

"I can't really speak about selection. What is the best opportunity that I have? Duleep Trophy, the Ranji one-dayers and whatever other games I can get. As I said, if I can make it to the squad, it will be a great story. It will be awesome to come back and play for India in a World Cup again. If it doesn't happen, life goes on, and it will be hard to accept, but I'll have to accept it," he said.